Asselborn &amp; Kerry discuss TTIP

An official visit by Luxembourg Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn to the US capital on Wednesday saw ministers come together to discuss transatlantic relations and the need for transparency to overcome TTIP concerns.

17.07.2014

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(HRW) An official visit by Luxembourg Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn to the US capital on Wednesday saw ministers come together to discuss transatlantic relations and the need for transparency to overcome TTIP concerns.

The relationship between the two sides of the Atlantic was praised by Asselborn and US Secretary of State John Kerry. The meeting allowed the two men to examine the relationship between the Grand Duchy and the United States, the development of transatlantic relations and international political issues, in particular the current conflicts in the Middle East and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations.

The two counterparts agreed on the focus of their respective foreign policy and priorities, recognising that the US and Europe today face many common challenges. They shared the view that “the transatlantic partners must, more than ever, strengthen their cooperation in order to face disruptions in world based on common values, including the Near and Middle East,” according to an official statement.

Both welcomed humanitarian programmes in Syria to improve conditions, agreed to come to a final decision on July 20 concerning the relations with Iran and stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The recent challenges to TTIP on both sides of the Atlantic were high on the agenda. The issue saw a heated discussion between Asselborn, the Deputy United States Trade Representative Michael Punk, President of the European Institute Joelle Attinger, and experts in the transatlantic trade and investment.

Asselborn argued the importance of strengthening economic and trade relations in the mutual interest of both sides of the Atlantic. However, he did not hide the fact that European civil society experienced a number of concerns largely due to the confidential nature of the negotiations. He stated: "I think that there are red lines on both sides. We have to overcome these red lines, and we have to play with more transparency to the public opinion, be it here or be it in Europe."

This addressed the growing concerns by many organisations and associations in Luxembourg who iin recent months have teamed up to launch an initiative against TTIP, calling for an immediate end to the negotiations which were deemed to be to secretive.

After the Minister Asselborn had explained the concerns of Luxembourg, which were shared by many other EU countries, both parties fell to agreement on the need to strengthen the dialogue with the public and work for a maximum of transparency.